Arin stood inside a dark cave, facing a massive gate glowing with eerie green light.
A transparent window appeared before his eyes:
[Gate: Rank – Strong]
A confident smile formed on his lips.
— "It's time to grow stronger."
He stretched out his hand and touched the gate's surface. In an instant, his body was pulled inside.
---
Inside the Gate
When he opened his eyes, Arin found himself standing in the middle of a dense forest. What caught his attention wasn't the trees or the heavy atmosphere—
It was the dirt path stretching right in front of him.
— "Strange… Gates from Beginner to Strong rank should only be forests. No roads. No houses. Just monsters. Why is there a path here?"
Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fists.
— "No matter. I'll fight the monsters like I always do."
His eyes burned with a crimson glow, his aura flaring. With steady steps, he walked toward the road.
---
Academy Rooftop – Night
Somewhere else, atop the academy's roof, Kaito stood in front of a man who looked almost identical to him.
Same features. Same presence. But older, sharper. Two guards in black stood behind him.
The man spoke.
— "Brother… why did you come to this academy? If anyone learns your secret—that you're the heir of the Hayashi family—they'll kill you without hesitation."
Kaito answered with a calm smile.
— "Renji, I told you. I want to train my body… and also make friends."
Renji raised his brows sharply.
— "But why this academy? There are dozens far stronger, far more prestigious."
— "That's exactly why. If I enter one of those academies, everyone will know I'm the heir. But here? A mid-level academy won't draw attention."
Renji chuckled.
— "You're clever as always, Kaito. But be careful. If anyone finds out who you are, they'll try to kill you. You carry techniques powerful enough to destroy a city on your own. The other clans won't let you reach your full strength. They'll eliminate you first."
Kaito stepped forward, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder.
— "Don't worry. Even now, I can kill an Emperor-rank opponent."
Renji's eyes widened before a proud smile appeared.
— "Then… I'll trust you."
---
Inside the Gate – The Forest
Arin walked down the dirt road. Suddenly, the trees around him shook violently.
A massive beast leapt out—its status window flaring above its head:
[Forest Tiger – Rank: Intermediate]
More tigers emerged, one after another, surrounding him on all sides.
Arin smirked.
— "I'm at Strong rank. Come at me."
The beasts roared and lunged.
Arin raised his hand.
[Skill: Power Enhancement]
His body burst into red energy. His sword flashed—fast, precise, merciless. One slash, one kill. Tigers fell one after another, blood spraying, their corpses piling on the ground.
Minutes later, the battlefield was nothing but silence and carcasses.
---
The Headmaster's Office
The academy director sat at his desk, troubled.
— "Who… killed Rein Valen? A man from such a great family shouldn't fall so easily…"
He tapped his fingers nervously.
— "Could it be that student… Kaito Hayashi? No. Impossible. The heir of the Hayashi family wouldn't be in a mediocre academy like this. He'd be in one of the world's strongest. Still… no one else here has the power to kill Rein."
His eyes darkened.
— "The Valen family won't stay silent. They'll send Expert-rank hunters soon. I need a solution before this entire academy is dragged into chaos."
---
Forest – Another Encounter
Arin stood amidst the tiger corpses, panting slightly.
A blue window appeared:
[Level Up: 29]
Another one followed:
[Heir's Energy – Restoring…]
But before he could relax, a red warning window flared.
[Warning: Do you wish to proceed with the Gate? Danger level – Extreme]
[Options: Yes / No]
Arin's face hardened.
— "Why is the system warning me? Could the Gate's boss be Expert rank? The gap between Strong and Expert… it's like heaven and earth."
Despite the danger, he smiled.
— "Yes."
[Proceeding…]
He stepped forward, confidence blazing in his eyes.
---
The Forest Castle
At the end of the road stood a massive castle.
Arin froze.
— "A… castle? In a Strong-ranked Gate? Impossible."
Cautiously, he pushed the heavy doors open. A blinding light revealed a vast corridor ahead.
— "This energy… It's overwhelming. Even after reaching level 30, my power feels insignificant compared to this place."
Suddenly, countless red warnings exploded around him.
[Warning: The Heir's life is in danger!]
[Warning: The Heir's life is in danger!]
The noise was deafening. He covered his ears, shouting:
— "Shut up!!"
Then, amidst the chaos, one calm blue window appeared:
[Do you wish to complete the Gate?]
[Yes / No]
He slammed No.
In an instant, his body was thrown out of the Gate, crashing against the cave wall.
— "Ugh… Damn, that hurts."
He struggled to his feet, panting.
— "Was the boss really Expert rank? Or… higher? A King? This makes no sense…"
When he tried touching the Gate again, lightning shot through his body, knocking him down.
[Access Denied – The Heir cannot re-enter]
— "What…?! How am I supposed to get stronger if I can't enter?"
---
The Next Morning
Arin lay under his blanket, his entire body drained.
Beside him, Kaito tried waking him.
— "Come on, Arin. Get up. What's with that depressed face? When I came back last night, you looked completely broken. What happened?"
Arin muttered weakly.
— "Nothing…"
Kaito shook him harder.
— "Get up, we've got class. Don't be lazy!"
— "Fine… fine. I'm up."
---
The Hallway
On their way to class, Kaito studied Arin's expression.
— "You're acting strange. What's wrong?"
— "I'm just… tired from training."
Kaito laughed.
— "Don't push yourself too hard."
But Arin clenched his fists silently.
— "If I hadn't pressed No… I could've reached greater heights. But I would've died. The system doesn't warn me for nothing."
Frustration boiled inside him. He suddenly shouted:
— "Why?! WHY?!"
The entire hallway froze, all eyes turning to him in confusion.
And with that—
The chapter ends.